Hover
by BurnThoseEyesBlue
Summary: For the record, Zeb had always thought that rooming with the kid was a bad idea.


**Another fill from the swrrequests blog submitted by Fizzygingr.**

 **PROMPT: As Ezra grows stronger in the Force, he starts to move things around in his sleep. Zeb is not amused.**

 **Enjoy.**

* * *

For the record, Zeb had _always_ thought rooming with the kid was a bad idea.

Not that he didn't like him or anything. No, Ezra was fine. In fact, he'd actually started to grow fond of him.

That still didn't mean he wanted to share a room with him. He was smelly, loud, annoying, and apparently very adept at moving things with his mind.

Zeb shifted and rolled onto his side, his back facing the kitchen door. His legs awkwardly hung off the side of the chair. He'd have to talk to Kanan again in the morning.

* * *

The first time it happened, Zeb had been minding his own damn business when something had started rattling. He was sitting at the desk, polishing his bo-rifle. He could hear Ezra's loud snores from behind him.

Zeb gritted his teeth in annoyance. Even he didn't snore quite as loudly. He turned around and glared at the kid - floppy bangs covering one of his eyes, mouth hanging wide open, arm dangling off the side of his bunk. He had every intention of waking him up, but he knew Hera would probably kill him if he messed with the kid. She was still trying to build him up and make him healthy. Besides, he looked too young while asleep. Zeb snorted and turned back to his handiwork, wondering when he'd gotten so soft.

It was then when his mug started rattling. He turned and looked at it, bemused. "What the-"

He rolled his eyes and turned and looked back at Ezra, who was still most definitely passed out on the bunk. "Kid," he said. Ezra didn't move. "Kid!" He repeated, louder. "Ezra," he tried again.

The mug started shaking more, the Caf sloshing out on the desk. Zeb cursed, shoving his chair back with a clatter as it spilled a little too close for comfort next to his freshly cleaned bo-rifle. Shakily, the mug floated a few inches above the surface of the desk.

Zeb panicked. "Ezra!" he called out. He looked around and grabbed a pillow from his bunk. He threw it at him and hit the kid right in the face. Ezra shot up with a snort, hair flopping in his face, hand automatically reaching for his slingshot. The mug stopped hovering and fell back down, tipping on its side and spilling its contents. Zeb's ears flattened at the crash.

"Wha-?" Ezra said blearily. "I'm up, I'm up!" He aimed his slingshot at Zeb and squinted a moment, eyes scanning the room for danger. When he saw nothing there, he scowled and ruffled his hair back.

"Dude," Ezra complained, visibly annoyed. "Are you serious? What happened?"

"I'm not sure," Zeb said, eyes still focused on the mug. "Were you dreaming?"

"Dreaming?" Ezra repeated. He looked more confused than irritated now, and he shook his head. He yawned.

"Go back to bed," Zeb said, pushing his chair back closer to the desk. He stood up to go get some napkins. Ezra's eyes landed on the spill, and he hopped out of his bunk.

"I'm awake now," he said, looking at Zeb pointedly. He pointed to the mess and laughed. "And you say I'm the clumsy one!"

"It was you," Zeb said.

Ezra snorted. "Nice try," he said. "I'm not cleaning up your mess for you." He scratched the back of his head and moved past Zeb out the door. Zeb heard his off-key whistling and cringed.

He sighed, moved his things even further from the Caf, and followed Ezra out.

* * *

It was a lot more frequent after that. Zeb got used to it, eventually. Still, it was a little unnerving sometimes to wake up in the middle of the night and see pillows and holopads and the little pieces of junk both of them had collected over time starting to float about.

Mostly, they seemed to happen after good dreams. Or really, _really_ good dreams. Zeb didn't really want to know.

But one night, it got bad.

Zeb woke up when something clattered in the floor. The desk chair had tipped over, and holopads were zipping about, faster than they ever had before. One of Zeb's pillows even joined the fray, and he hurried to snatch it back. Even his bo-rifle was starting to quake and hover, and it slowly turned to point in his direction.

"Oh, Karabast," Zeb swore. He scrambled out of bed and leaned up to Ezra's bunk. Ezra was tangled up in his sheets, tossing and turning. His eyes darted underneath his eyelids, and his forehead was beaded with sweat. He was mumbling for his parents, for Kanan.

"Ezra," Zeb said, shaking his shoulder. Something smacked into the back of his head, and Zeb scowled and covered it. He glanced behind him again, and more and more things were being picked up. "Kid!"

Ezra's eyes shot open with a gasp. He clutched at his sheets and tensed up, eyes wide and scared. The flying items immediately dropped and crashed on the ground. Ezra was gasping. His eyes flicked on Zeb's face, and it finally seemed to click on where he was.

"Zeb," Ezra breathed. He seemed to wilt, slowly relaxing his grip on his sheets.

"Are you okay, kid?" Zeb asked, concerned. Ezra took a deep breath and curled up in a ball, back to Zeb.

"Just a bad dream," he said.

"... You want to talk about it?"

No response. Guess that was a no. Zeb hesitantly patted Ezra on the arm and stepped back down. He sank down onto his bunk and pressed the palms of his hands into his eyes. Ezra was still breathing heavy above him. Zeb sat back and looked around the mess of their room with a groan. He'd have to talk to Kanan tomorrow.

* * *

"He's levitating?" Kanan asked, one eyebrow raised. "In his sleep?" A smile broke out on his face. "That's my boy."

"You don't understand," Zeb said wearily, gripping and tugging on the fur on his head. "It's every night. He hits me with stuff. He ruins our room. He floats blasters at me!"

"Have you not talked to him about it?"

"Well, no," Zeb said, giving an awkward chuckle.

"Why not?" Kanan asked, looking confused. Zeb didn't answer, running a hand over the top of his head and crinkling up his nose sheepishly. Kanan's eyes lit up in understanding, and he threw his head back and laughed. "You don't want to embarrass him," he said. Kanan patted Zeb on the arm and stood up. "I'll talk to him," he promised. He looked at Zeb one more time and snorted, shaking his head and smiling as he walked out.

"I owe ya one, Kanan," Zeb called out, ears back and shoulders slumped in relief.

* * *

Zeb was hovering outside of his room in the hallway. The door was shut, and Kanan and Ezra were talking. He knew listening in was wrong, but eh, what the heck? He had one ear swiveled against the door, trying to hear what they were saying.

"What are you doing?" Zeb stiffened, and his fur puffed up on from being startled. He turned around, to see Sabine standing there, one eyebrow raised, a paintbrush behind her ear, and a hand on her hip. He'd been so caught up in listening that he hadn't noticed her sneaking up behind him.

"Nothing," he grunted, embarrassed at being caught. He turned back around to avoid her searching look.

"You're eavesdropping!" She crowed, mouth hanging open in a surprised grin. Zeb whirled around again and held up a finger in front of his mouth, giving her a warning look.

"Shh!"

Sabine smirked, her eyes bright with mischief. "You know," she said casually, looking at her nails, "you can hear most everything from next door through the vent in my room."

Zeb blinked.

The next thing anyone knew, both of them were in Sabine's room, ears pressed up against the wall.

"You know there's a lot of things I haven't taught you yet about the Force," Kanan was saying. Ezra muttered a teasing agreement, and Zeb could hear the resulting scuffle as Ezra laughed and dashed away from Kanan, who probably tried to shove him and ruffle his hair.

"Hey!"

"Ezra, this is actually important," Kanan said in a pleading tone. Zeb could practically see Ezra's furrowed expression as he cocked his head to the side. "The ability to control the Force is a huge responsibility, for both the Dark Side and the Light, but sometimes..." Kanan hesitated.

"Sometimes what?" Ezra promoted.

"Sometimes a new student can't exactly control their talents well while sleeping, and it can be annoying and sometimes dangerous for those around them."

"... you're telling me I'm putting Zeb in danger... when I'm sleeping?" Ezra said in disbelief. "But what am I even doing?"

"You're apparently levitating things in your sleep."

"That doesn't sound too bad..?"

"It's not, until it's something dangerous. Zeb said you lifted his bo-rifle and pointed it at him. It freaked him out."

"But I don't mean to do it!" Ezra cried.

"I know, I know." Kanan said soothingly. "Every initiate in the Temple went through this stage; even I did. It's why no training sabers were allowed in our quarters."

There was a brief moment of silence as Ezra processed this.

"You're going to take my lightsaber away?!" Ezra cried out again. "That's so unfair!" There was a sound that sounded like he stomped on the ground.

"It won't be for forever. You'll grow out of it."

"How do I stop it?"

"They're caused by dreams."

"Dreams? What, so am I not allowed to dream anymore?" Ezra's sarcastic response came ringing back.

Zeb could practically see Kanan roll his eyes. "They're not caused by all dreams, Ezra. Only by really happy dreams, or nightmares, or... _those_ types of dreams."

" _Those_ types? What are-OH."

"You're a teenage boy, it only makes sense you'd dream like that," Kanan went on, oblivious. "You know, there are ways to take care of that sort of thing. It's called-"

"KANAN! No!"

"Ezra, it's nothing to be ashamed of. Tell me, do you know what sex is? Did you ever have The Talk?"

Zeb groaned. This was not going to be a good conversation. Sabine was silently shaking with laughter beside Zeb, face red from trying not to be too loud. She bit the palm of her hand when a giggle got loose.

There was the sound of someone pushing a chair back, and then the heavy stomping as Ezra came flying out the room, frowning and scowling with bright red cheeks. He stormed by Sabine's room and then did a double take as he saw the two of them sitting together.

Sabine couldn't hold in her laughter anymore and fell back, wheezing for breath. Ezra's cheeks grew even redder, pink all the way up to his ears. His gaze landed on Zeb, and he took a deep breath, shoulders heaving with embarrassment and frustration.

Zeb stood up, hands spread out in what was meant to be a calming gesture. "Kid, I didn't want to-"

Ezra shook his head. "Look, I'm sorry for scaring you," he said, brow furrowed. "But next time can't you just talk to me about it straight up?" He whirled around and stomped back out. Sabine's laughter slowly died as Kanan stepped out of the room next door and in her doorway. He watched as Ezra slid down the ladder to the cargo bay; he held Ezra's lightsaber in his hand and every few seconds thumped it against his palm. His face was strangely blank and thoughtful, but then he turned to Zeb with a face that said "well? I did it."

"Kanan, you didn't need to give him The Talk!" Zeb said.

"You did tell me to talk to him," he reminded him.

Zeb spluttered. "Not like that!"

Kanan shrugged. "He'll calm down," he promised. "It's embarrassing for him. Not being able to control yourself in the Force is something that younglings are immediately taught as to not put their age-mates in danger. It's something a child should be able to do, and he's struggling with it."

Zeb sighed, shoulders slumping. "I hope you're right," he warned. "Otherwise tonight's gonna be real awkward."

Kanan winced. "Ooh, speaking of which. I need your bo-rifle."

"What?! Why?"

"If I have to take Ezra's weapon, I have to take yours, too. You know, as a safety precaution."

"Kanan, no way."

"He's never even lifted his lightsaber, it's only been your weapon," Kanan pointed out. "You can keep it in my room so Chopper won't mess with it."

Zeb growled, deep in his throat, and stomped out to go get it. Kanan sighed and ran a hand over his face. Sabine sat up and looked at him.

"I feel like such a dad," Kanan said, voice muffled from his hand.

"You sound like such a dad," Sabine echoed, looking way too amused than necessary with the situation.

Kanan lowered his hand and squinted at her a moment. "You need to clean your room," was all he said before he turned around and walked out. Sabine sat for a moment before scampering to the doorway and leaning out to look at his retreating backside.

"You're not serious, right? Kanan!?"

* * *

That night, Zeb was sitting on his bed, reading some magazine on Sabine's stolen holopad. The door slid open, and Ezra trudged in, in one of Kanan's ratty old shirts and some borrowed pants.

He shut the door behind him and scuffed his toes on the floor. "Kanan took my lightsaber," Ezra said. "And my slingshot. And my knives."

"Even your hidden ones?"

"Especially those," Ezra rolled his eyes. He slowly made his way closer to the bed. "So I don't think you have to worry anymore."

"He took my bo-rifle," Zeb said. "And I gave him my blasters."

Ezra blinked, and then he smirked. "If I have to suffer, then so do you," he said, teasing. Zeb snorted and reached out to grab him, and Ezra squeaked and scrambled up into his bunk. And just like that, things were good between them again.

* * *

Zeb woke up that night and blinked. He looked to the left; nothing was floating at him.

He closed his eyes, sighed, and shifted, turning over to flip on his stomach, but he didn't feel anything beneath him. He opened his eyes again and peered curiously at the floor. That's funny... it looked different from up here.

Up here?!

Zeb gasped and flailed his arms, realizing he was floating a few feet above the ground next to his bunk. Ezra was still asleep in his bed, face scrunched up. Zeb looked back down, let out an unmanly screech, and dropped like a rock.

He landed on the floor with a grunt, gasping for breath. Ezra murmured something and shifted, but otherwise didn't open his eyes. He let out a sort snore. Zeb lay there for a few moments, dazed, disoriented, and trying to recover.

When he caught his breath, he immediately pushed himself up, grabbed his pillow and blanket, and stormed out to go sleep on the chair in the kitchen, muttering all the while under his breath. He left the door open when he stomped out. Objects were one thing, but lifting him was too far!

As soon as Zeb was gone, Ezra's eyes flew open, and a sly grin spread across his face. He stretched out his hand, which had been clenched under his pillow trying to keep Zeb up. He yawned, rolled over, and went to sleep, a smile still on his face.

* * *

 **I haven't posted for like a month on here because I hadn't been getting much feedback and reviews recently. Sorry. So, please tell me what y'all think, especially if y'all want more fics from me!**

 **I've never really written Zeb a lot before (besides Circus, which is an AU), so this was different for me, but I tried my best. Hopefully I can work on more characterization in the future.**

 **R &R.**


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